Lenovo Preps Android, Windows Tablets for 2011

Lenovo today announced three new tablet devices that it will deliver throughout 2011, two based on Android and one on Windows 7. I was briefed about these new plans last week, so here are a few notes about each.

ThinkPad Tablet

Lenovo's first Android-based ThinkPad is a 10.1-inch, 1280 x 800 slate design that features a dual-core NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor, 1 GB of RAM, 16 GB, 32 GB, or 64 GB of solid state storage, front and rear facing cameras (2 MP and 5 MP, respectively), an HDMI connector, a USB 2.0 connector, a micro-USB connector, a 3-in-1 media card reader, and a dock connector. There are versions with Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi/3G. Battery life is rated at 8.7 hours for the Wi-Fi version.

The big deal here, perhaps, is the optional ThinkPad Keyboard Folio add-on, which provides a ThinkPad keyboard and TrackPoint, transforming the ThinkPad Tablet into a laptop-like experience. There's also a separate ThinkPad Tablet Dock that lets you charge and sync the device. And the Tablet comes with an accurate, touch-sensitive pen so you can take handwritten notes; software built into the device will convert your handwritten notes to text.

The ThinkPad Tablet will ship in August 2011 and retail for $499 and up. The Keyboard Folio is $99.

IdeaPad Tablet K1

This tablet is, perhaps, the most similar to Apple's popular iPad. It features the same 1280 x 800, 10.1-inch display as the ThinkPad Tablet, as well as the same dual-core NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor, 1 GB of RAM, 16 GB to 64 GB of storage, front and back cameras, and ports and connectors (minus the dock connector). But the K1 adds an NDIVIA GeForce GPU and provides up to 10 hours of battery life with a 2-cell battery. Wi-Fi and 3G appear to be standard.

The K1 is very thin and light, and at 13.3 mm thick is actually a tiny bit thinner than the iPad 2, which is 13.34 mm. And unlike the iPad, the K1 supports Adobe Flash 10.3. HDMI output from the device is 1080p quality, and since it supports various DRM content types, it could be a viable digital media alternative to the iPad.

There's a keyboard dock available for the K1, but it's more like the iPad keyboard dock in look and feel, basically a charger base with an attached keyboard. The K1 is also available in four colors: red, black, brown, and white.

The IdeaPad K1 will be available July 20 at Office Depot and other electronics retailers, Lenovo says. The 32 GB model will retail for $499.

IdeaPad Tablet P1

The IdeaPad P1 is the most interesting of the three devices, to me, but it's the one most lacking in details at the moment, especially around the launch date, which is vaguely set for "Q4 2011," and the price, which wasn't discussed.